The non-specificity of prosopagnosia - Can prosopagnosics distinguish sheep

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and

Dissertations

2019

The non-specificity of prosopagnosia: Can

prosopagnosics distinguish sheep?

Alexander Robert Toftness

Iowa State University

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Recommended Citation

Toftness, Alexander Robert, "The non-specificity of prosopagnosia: Can prosopagnosics distinguish sheep?" (2019). Graduate Theses

and Dissertations. 17109.

https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/17109

The non-specificity of prosopagnosia: Can prosopagnosics distinguish sheep?

by

Alexander R. Toftness

A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE

Major: Psychology

Program of Study Committee:

Eric E. Cooper, Major Professor

Christian A. Meissner

Jonathan W. Kelly

The student author, whose presentation of the scholarship herein was approved by the

program of study committee, is solely responsible for the content of this thesis. The

Graduate College will ensure this thesis is globally accessible and will not permit

alterations after a degree is conferred.

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa

2019

Copyright © Alexander R. Toftness, 2019. All rights reserved.

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................iii

LIST OF TABLES..............................................................................................................iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................v

ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................vi

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1

The Coordinate Relations Hypothesis .......................................................................... 3

Alternatives to the Coordinate Relations Hypothesis................................................... 7

Prosopagnosic Experiments........................................................................................ 14

The Present Experiments ............................................................................................ 17

CHAPTER 2. EXPERIMENT 1 ....................................................................................... 20

Method ........................................................................................................................ 20

Participants............................................................................................................ 20

Test of prosopagnosia ..................................................................................... 20

Nature of the acquired prosopagnosia............................................................. 20

Age-matched and gender-matched control ..................................................... 21

Materials................................................................................................................ 21

Design and Procedure ........................................................................................... 24

Results......................................................................................................................... 24

Discussion................................................................................................................... 30

CHAPTER 3. EXPERIMENT 2 ....................................................................................... 32

Method ........................................................................................................................ 32

Participants............................................................................................................ 32

Materials................................................................................................................ 32

Design and Procedure ........................................................................................... 35

Results......................................................................................................................... 35

Discussion................................................................................................................... 43

CHAPTER 4. GENERAL DISCUSSION ........................................................................ 46

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 50

APPENDIX. INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL................................. 57

iii

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1 The Coordinate Relations Hypothesis ........................................................ 5

Figure 2 Reference Points in the Coordinate Relations Hypothesis ......................... 6

Figure 3 Experiment 1 Legislator Face Stimuli ...................................................... 23

Figure 4 Experiment 1 Overall Results................................................................... 26

Figure 5 Experiment 1 Trial Level Results ............................................................. 27

Figure 6 Experiment 2 Sheep Face Stimuli............................................................. 33

Figure 7 Experiment 2 Sheep Bodies Exemplars.................................................... 34

Figure 8 Experiment 2 Overall Results................................................................... 37

Figure 9 Experiment 2 Trial Level Results ............................................................. 38

Figure 10 Experiment 2 Trials by Body Parts Results.............................................. 39

iv

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1 Accuracy in Experiment 1 by Trial Type and Correct Response ..................... 28

Table 2 Accuracy in Experiment 2 by Trial Type and Correct Response ..................... 40

v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Eric Cooper, and my committee members,

Dr. Chris Meissner, and Dr. Jon Kelly.

I would like to thank the Iowa State Sheep Teaching Farm for allowing the

photographing of their animals during materials creation. I would also like to thank Charles

“Joey” Peasley and Dr. Eric Cooper for their roles in the creation of the sheep photo stimuli.

Thank you to the age-matched control who agreed to participate in this project. Many thanks to

my partner, family, and friends for their support over the years.

Finally, a special thank you to LB, the prosopagnosic participant in these experiments,

without whom this project would not have been possible.